Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help Pump to transfer Yellow perch larvae.

Hello.

If I want to transfer Yellow perch larvae from one pond to another, is it possible to use a pump or if there a risk that I kill all the larvae.

Thank you.
A+

There are peeps on this sight way more qualified then me to offer input but if I were trying to do something like that I would lean toward a diaphragm type pump to eliminate the impeller aspect of it.

I know nothing bout this but, I would think any kind of pump would be getting pretty rough with them. My guess is they will to small and soft to make it threw in good shape.

I'm no expert on this either, but I did a quick search for fish-friendly pumps. Looks like most of these designs are axial pumps, i.e., big, slow turning prop / screw type pumps. These are all low-head types of pumps. Likely more difficult to keep them alive if you have to pump them up a big hill. If I had to use a conventional centrifugal pump like a trash pump, etc., I'm guessing the largest diameter pump (i.e., 4" rather than 2") running at a fairly low speed would be the best bet. But i'm just guessing.

I've have never pumped fish eggs with a mechanical pump. I have used siphon hoses to transfer aquarium fry from the breeding tanks to the fry tanks with very good success.

That said, your best type of pump would be a vacuum pump (think septic tank sucker truck without the high water volume and speed). A pump that pulls a vacuum on a tank so that the intake hose valve is opened the vacuum pulls the water in without it going though any mechanical device and then the water can be discharged by gravity or the vacuum pump reversed to pressurize the tank which pushes the water back out the intake hose. The sizing with respect to water flow velocities would need to be on the low side, but I can not say as to what the safe range of speed/turbulence the eggs could handle.

Is a siphon hose a possibility? A 2 inch hose would suck a fair amount of eggs and water if thrown over a dam. The eggs could be collected in a tub/tank and transported to the new BOW.

It is my understanding that the most common way to transfer yellow perch is to lay branches along the shore and then transfer egg ribbons that are laid on them to the new BOW.